Stages
by Navyfan
Summary: The weekend does not go as expected because Danny behaves strangely. Grace must help him. *warning: character death* Rated T for language
1. Chapter 1

This is my first Hawaii five 0 fan fiction and I am very excited. I would be soo happy if you would leave a review behind. English is not my first language so I'm sorry for any mistakes.

I don't own anything... *sniffles* it belongs to CBS.

Weekend with Gracie

Danny felt very tired since his week at work was full of stress. And after chasing a suspect trough half hawaii and being shot at he was more than tired. Steven looked at him he was worried 'cause Danny was very silent the last days. A little bit too silent. Danny could feel the look of Steven on him. "What's going on McGarrett? You need help? 'Cause I have to do my paperwork and after that I would have to make yours, because you are an animal and the only thing they didn't thought you in the army was to write your own reports."

Steven shook his head. "Navy, Danny. It was the navy. And you know that, but that isn't it. No Danny, I'm worried about you. You look tired and you are too silent for me. I mean it's confusing not having you speaking the whole day even when we are at the office so what is going on?" Danny sighed. "Everything is okay, babe. Everything is just alright, nothing to worry about."

Stevens look was suspicious to say at least. "You look very tired." Danny sighed again. "I slept very bad the last few days and not everybody can work with only four or five hours sleep at day like superSEAL."

Steven laughed. "That is not the Danno I know." Dannys head snapped up when Steven said Danno. "Don't call me Danno." Steve laughed again. "But I like it. Danno. Danno loves you." Danny froze. "Don't say that again. Never ever again." Steven was confused to say at least. "Why?" Danny still looked angry. "Just don't say it, please. It sounds wrong." he almost pleaded.

Steven shrugged. "Okay, but I want to know why I'm not aloud to call you Danno so suddenly." Danny jumped out of the seat. "What is wrong with you? I asked you one simple thing. I DON'T WANT YOU TO CALL ME DANNO ANYMORE." He screamed at Steven and this time it wasn't a joke and they weren't bantering. In his rage Danny swept the frame with the photo of a smiling Steve and an annoyed Danny from his table. He immediatly bent down to pick it up. Annoyed he mumbled. ,,Even now you make me angry."

Sudddenly the phone rang and Danny jumped out of the seat. "Williams?... yes Ma'am, we're coming." He laid his phone on the table and looked towards Steve. "The witness from our case wants to speak with us. Are you coming?" Danny quickly made his way to the car after telling Adam and Junior that he would go out. He completely ignored the looks that were exchanged between the two Five-O members.

Steven looked at him again. "Are you really sure?" Danny sighed. "Yes. I'm sure. It's okay. I'm just tired. Let's go." The ride was very silent and Danny stared at the street in front of him. It really felt weird to ride his own car. Steve glared at Danny. He was confused to say at least. ,,Buddy? What's going on with you? I thought that we could talk about everything."

,,Yeah talk. Because you are the talking type of guy. Tell that the suspect you were throwing into the shark cage instead of talking with him." Danny was still looking out of the passengers window but his complaint were more like the Danny Steve knew. After arriving at the witnesses house Danny went in and sat on the couch. The talking didn't take long and after twenty minutes Danny slipped behind the steering wheel. He looked over at Steve. ,,Wow. That's new. You actually let me talk to the person before you unpack you Army skills."

Steve snorted. ,,Same joke, twice this day? You are getting old Danno." Danny looked at his watch and smiled. He could finally end his working day and get back to his apartment. This weekend he would have his beautiful Gracie. ,,Could we stop by a store? I'm out of longboards. You wanna stay and watch the game at mine? I'm sure Grace wouldn't mind." Steve nodded. ,,Yeah, of course." Danny turned up the radio and hummed along. The windows were almost completely down and the breeze in his car was enjoyable.

Danny parked in his parking lot and made his way to the front door of his house. ,,You coming?" He looked back at Steve who seemed to hesitate. ,,Of course." He jogged his way over and entered the house right behind Danny. Without a second thought he kicked away his shoes and fell on the couch. Danny had to smile but he shook his head. ,,You are an animal you know. Were are your manners? I'm coming in a minute. The groceries need to get into the fridge and I'm saying Gracie I'm home.

True to his words he made his way into the kitchen and stored away his groceries. After that he opened the door to Gracies room. ,,Hey honey, I'm home. You alright? Wanna come and watch the game on TV?" Grace was laying on her bed, headphones in her ears. ,,No, thanks. I'm chatting with Stephanie." Danny eyed her suspiciously. ,,No texting with boys. You got that?" Grace rolled her eyes at her father. ,,No one exept Will. I swear." Danny had to smile. ,,Alright. I'm going. Come if you need something, Yeah." Grace threw her pillow after Danny in a playful way.

Danny closed the door and went back to the living room. ,,Steve? I've got everything ready. You know what is sad? Gracie is already eighteen. Soon she is going to move away. Or worse. She is going to marry." He placed the beer on the coffee table and sat beside Steve. He loved watching football games. And he missed doing it with Steve. The game was two hours in when Danny heard Gracie open her door. ,,You know, I said she would come out and watch a game with her old man. You should never doubt the instincts of a father."

Grace was standing in the door between the hallway and the living room. She looked slightly confused. ,,Dad? Who are you talking to?"

TBC...


	2. Steven J Mcgarrett

My great-grandmother died not so long ago and I kind of never realised her death. It isn't so bad like I made Danny feel but we all miss her. So I just wrote this story in one go.

But now: Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Please leave a review. One more chapter after this one.

The death of Steven J Mcgarrett

Now it was Danny who looked confused. ,,Oh, I know, I forgot to tell you that Steve was coming over to watch the game with me. You wanna sit with us?" Grace slowly made her way towards Danny and sat on the coffee table in front of him. She cupped his face in her hands. ,,Danno. Uncle Steve is not here and you know that so why are you saying that?" Danny shook his head in denial. ,,What are you talking about Grace? He came to watch the game with me. Right Steve?"

Grace was actually shocked. She hadn't seen her Dad like this. Ever. He was imaginating things and he looked so damn confused. ,,Daddy please, it's not the time to mess around. I'm really not in the mood for joking. I know it's hard and I don't want to believe it either but Uncle Steve is not coming back." It took her a lot not to cry in this moment. Her father needed her. ,,Dad. Say something. Anything." Danny was now shaking like a leaf and tears were filling his eyes but he refused to let them fall.

,,You don't say what I should do or not. Go to your room." Grace stroked his cheek but Danny grabbed her wrist. ,,GO!" The tears in Gracies eyes spilled over and ran over her cheeks. Her dark mascara was running down her face too and she angrily whipped them away. ,,I understand that it is very hard for you to accept that he isn't coming back, but not only you lost someone. I lost a friend too."

Angrily she ran into her room and slammed the door shut. With one swift motion she jumped on her bed and cuddled the little purple Monkey to her chest. The tears were still falling but she didn't allow herself to make a sound because she knew that if she let out the sob than she wouldn't stop crying for a long time. She listened to the sounds coming from outside her room. She heard a shout and then dishes shattering and she knew he was angry again.

She pulled out a little book out of her nightstand and opened it in the middle. She took a pink glitter pen and started to write.

 _Dear Uncle Steve,_  
 _I know that you are not at fault for this damn mess. I know it, really. But I can't help but be sad and angry even at you and at Danno. I know it is wrong. I shouldn't be mad. What happened was no ones fault but the drunken mens. It was a week. A week without you and I have no idea how everything is going to be alright._  
 _Uncle Adam says that Danno will come around but at the moment he is worse then I have ever seen him. One second he is distant and feels numb. He can't express what he is feeling. Then the next moment he is screaming at everyone and everything. I think he destroyed half our kitchen. We are mostly eating out of plastic dishes now._

 _I would do everything to get you back. It isn't fair. Why did you die and the drunken driver got away with just a scratch on his arm. It is not polite and maybe i shouldn't think so but I hope that he has a scar from it and that he won't ever forget what he did to you and us._

 _You know, I think I now know what I want to be. I'm going to the Navy. I want to be an intelligence officer in the Navy like Catherine was. I'm going to honor your memory and I will be the damn best Officer the Navy has ever seen._

 _That is the future but today is the Problem. I am scared for Danno. He seems so lost to me. He won't talk to anyone. Exept for you. You know, today I found him sitting on the couch and talking to you like you were sitting at his side. And when I went to talk to him he started to shake and that scared me. He wont accept the help of a therapist. Sometimes he refuses to belief that you are dead. I mean, he was in the car with you. I can't imagine how scary and horrible it must have been to see you die but how can it be that he saw it and can't accept it? The therapist said that it was the third step of grief and I hope that he can continue with his life soon because this is definitely destroying him._  
 _I swear you Uncle Steve I will look out for him and help him. We won't ever forget you. But please, I beg you, look out for our Danno. He needs your help._

Grace threw the pen away and laid the book away. With a quick look in the mirror she confirmed that her mascara was off her face. Slowly she opened the door and looked into the hallway. Everything was deadly silent. She tip toed towards the kitchen and glanced at the last dishes on the floor. In the far corner of the kitchen she could see her father sitting against the cupboard his arms lying at his sides and his legs sprawled out in front of him. Quietly Grace made her way between the shards.

Carefully she crouched beside her father and laid her arms around his neck. Slowly he opened his eyes. His normaly blue eyes full of life were now a dull grey. But finally, after one week the first sob escaped his mouth. Grace pulled him into a tight hug and she didn't let him go for the next half an hour or so. Not until his sobs died down. He pulled out of the embrace and whipped the tears of his face. ,,I am so sorry Grace. I'm a coward and you deserve better than that. I should comfort you and not the other way around."

Grace stopped him right there. ,,No Dad. I am now old enough. It is time that someone finally comforts you. You were there every time I was hurt or sad even when I broke up with Will just to get him back a week later. I want you to know that I love you and I want you to know that it's no shame to cry. I cried a lot the last days and it helped me to get over Uncle Steves death. I don't say that I don't hurt anymore, but it gets better if you let the emotions out and don't bottle them up. Steve wouldn't want us to be sad for ever. He would want us to be happy and to honor his memory."

Danny had tears in the eyes from the little speach his daughter gave him. ,,You are a very wise little woman, you know that?" Grace smiled and she finally got a little smile from her father. ,,Yeah. I learned from the two best man this island has. I really love you." Danny pulled her into a hug again and burried his nose in her hair. She smelled like flowers and fruits and it was the scent of the love of his life. The Person he would die for.

He sent up a silent note to Steve. Please, please SuperSEAL. Keep my beautiful daughter save. I love her. And you too. Stop smiling like a goof. I can't see ya, but I know ya!

After they finally broke apart Danny went to clean the mess he had made. ,,I am sorry for yelling at you Grace. And for breaking the dishes. Again." Grace smiled at him from the doorframe. ,,No Problem Danno. We can buy new ones. Actually I am going to stay the whole week with you. I already asked mum and she agreed to bring me more clothes and stuff. But please Dad, before you throw something again, talk to me. I want to help you and if you don't wanna talk to me, then talk to a therapist. I'm going to talk to one too. We could go there together for a session or two."

Danny stoped cleaning and smiled at her. ,,Thank you Grace. You are the rock in my strom and you were it from the beginning."


	3. Chapter 3

This is the last chapter I hope you enjoyed the whole story and I really would like to hear from you what you thought of it .

 **Therapy session**

To say that Danny was nervous whould have been an understatment. He opened one of the magazines lying in the small coffee table in front of him and flicked trough the pages of the womans magazine. He did not even realise that it was full of recepies and decoration stuff until the assistant of a therapist came to him and addressed him. ,,I wouldn't have thought that you would be the person for gossip between the stars of Hollywood." Danny looked at her and then back at the magazin. He almost threw the papers on the table again. ,,Euhm, yeah. I didn't realise what I was reading."

The assistant smiled at him. ,,Yeah, you look a bit nervous but you can trust me. Dr. Kalani is one of the best therapists. You will like her. Please come with me. I will bring you to her room." Danny followed the tall woman and thanked her when she pointed at the door telling him to enter the room. Danny took a few deep breaths and knocked on the door. A soft and generally beautifull voice told him to come in so Danny slowly opened the door. A woman in her thirties was sitting on a comfortable looking couch. She looked Hawaiian. Her hair was long and brown, her eyes the same colour as Gracies an Danny immediatly had the feeling that he could trust her.

Dr. Kalani gestured towards the couch in front of her. ,,Make yourself comfortable, I'll be ready in a minute." Danny nodded and sat down but he was still nervous so he kept looking around in the room. Kalani watched him a few seconds. ,,You don't need to be nervous. I just want to help you and from what I've heard you wanted me to help. Or were you forced to come?" Danny shook his head. ,,No, I wanted to come because I need the help. Normally i wouldn't go to a psychiatrist but I think my daughter is scared of me. And I love her so I have to change."

Kalani wrote a few things on her notebook. ,,How long do you think that your daughter is scared of you Danny? Can I call you Danny?" Danny winced at the word scared. It was a lot harder when another person says it. ,,Yeah of course you can call me Danny. And.. and i think that it is since last week." Kalani nodded. ,,And bevor that you two were close?" Danny looked down at his hands, folded in his lap. ,,Yeah. I am divorced and my Ex moved to Hawaii from Jersey and I followed them to see my little girl." Kalani noticed the slumbed shoulders of the man sitting in front of her. She knew that this wasn't the reason he was feeling unwell and contacted her.

,,It sounds like you are a good father." Danny snorted and Kalani raised an eyebrow. ,,You don't think that you are a good father?" Dany shook his head in denial. ,,No, I am a coward. I was fighting with my wife while my daughter was sitting in her crappy room hearing every single thing we both threw at each other. And if it wasn't enough. she heard me cry half the night after that. No good father should be like this." Kalani abandoned her Notepad and looked at Danny. She had no reason to think that the man was lying to her. He really thought e was a bad father. ,,You know Danny, crying while your daughter heard it isn't exactly a bad thing. She knows that you are only human. When she heard you cry it is easier for her to come to you when she feels like crying. It gives her the feeling of beeing understood." Danny met Kalanis eyes for the first time this day. And he only thing he was seeing was pure sincerity.

Kalani grabed her Notepad again. ,,But that is not why you came here, is it? You came because you had the feeling you daughter is scared of you, I want to know why she should could be scared." Danny closed his eyes for a minute.

,,I am angry and then I get so frustrated that I want to punch something. I broke our dishes twice. And I can't control it."

,,Why do you get angry?"

Dannt tried to deflect, He wasn't in the mood to talk about what happened. ,,That's not important. I just want to stop scarring my Grace. She is everything that is left in my life." He couldn't help the tears trickling down his cheeks.

Kalani moved closer to Danny. ,,What ever the reason is that you get angry is the reason that makes your daughter scared. Talk to me. Tell me what happened a week ago."

Danny got angry. He felt the adrenaline pumping through his vains. Suddenly the room was too cramped so he jumped from the couch walking up and down the room. ,,He just left me you know? He promissed me to stay and that he would fight. But you just quit on me without even thinking about me. You are a damn egoist, Steve! You never thought about what would happen with me. That I would get angry and irritable and that I would act strange. I want to have you back right now but you never ever listen to me you Idiot. I hate you." The tears in Dannys eyes were now falling freely. Suddenly he dropped to his knees and rocked back and forth. His voice was now barrely a whisper. ,,I didn't mean it, Steve. I don't hate you. Please come back. I need you."

Kalani crouched beside Danny and pulled him into an embrace. Normally she wouldn't do something like that but in this situatiom she had the feeling that her patient needed exactly this. ,,Danny, can you stand up please? We should talk." Danny managed to stand up and sit down. ,,Who is Steve?"

Danny whipped the teaers from his cheeks. He was embarrassed about crying. ,,He was my partner."

Kalani looked into her file. ,,Your husband?"

Danny sooked his head but Kalani noticed a faint smile at the corners of Dannys lips. ,,No, my working partner. I am a detective and he was my partner for ten years."

Kalani nodded understanding. ,,It must have been hard to lose him?"

Danny pulled out his badge and stared at it. ,,Yeah, he wasn't just my partner, he was my best ffriend and..." He had to swallow. ,,And he was my brother. I was closer to him than I am to my siblings. And he just left me."

Kalani had a lott of patients and she had a lot of cops in therapy but she hadn't seen a partnership running so deep. ,,But you knew the risk, that he could die. You knew it and you still decided to be a detective."

,,Yeah I knew the risk and he knew the risk too. He was okay with dying for someone. To fight for the ones who couldn't fight for themselves. And I always thought he would die in a flame of glory. Taking a bullet for a child or something like that. I didn't thought that he would die like that. Die in my car cramped between metal and glas with blood running down his face, his arms cut by the flying glas. It wasn't even his faut. He wasn't driving reckless, he wasn't driving too fast, this time." He could feel his heart beating in his chest, he tried to control his breathing but within seconds he was lightheaded from Hyperventilating.

Dr. Kalani rubbed circles on his back. ,,You need to take deep breaths for me Danny. We can't have you fainting. What would the people think of me?" Danny tried harder to control himself. She was a little bit like Steve. A tiny little bit. Jonking even when the situation was bad. ,,He was sitting in the seat looking at me. Begging me to help him to take away the pain. But I couldn't help him. He was stuck in the car and the firefighters were taking too long. It was all my fault."

,,I beg my pardon. I can't see why this was your fault, Danny"

,,I said something horrible bevor the car t-boned us. I said that from the bottom of my heart I hate him. He didn't want to fight because he thought that I hated him." Kalani had to swallow. That were hard words but she new from the way this detective was behaving that he hadn't meant them. Even then in the car. ,,Did you say this another time bevor that?" Danny nodded ashamed. ,,Yeah, a few times even." Kalani continued. ,,And he never asked to get a new partner? He never asked to be transfered?" Danny looked at her. The surprise clear on his face. ,,No, We were banterin a lot and that showed that we were good."

Kalani smiled. ,,I don't know Steve but I am sure that he really liked you. And I am 100% sure that he knew that you were joking when you said that. I think he forgave you, but now you have to forgive yourself." Danny closed his eyes and thought about it. He thought about his last moments with Steve.

,,Danny, please tell Gracie I love her."  
,,You're gonna tell herself, understand? You are getting out of this. It's not ending like this."  
,,Danno, I am stuck and the paramedics won't be here in time. I want you to tell Gracie. Promise."  
,,I promise you big goof. But please fight. I can't lose you."  
,,Not... gonna lose me... Love ya Buddy."  
,,I love ya too."

Danny nearly jumped off the couch when Kalani touched his shoulder. ,,Think about it Danny. I would like to speak to you again. Call whenever you need to talk. I will make sure that I have time." Danny faintly smiled at her. ,,Thank you doc, I appreciate what you did for me." He grabed the badge in his fist and walked out of the doctor's office. When he arrived at home Grace was sitting on the couch watching some nonsense. ,,Hey darling. I'm home." He sat beside her and laid his arm around her shoulder. Gace leaned against his shoulder. ,,How was the session?" Danny kissed her forehead. ,,Wasn't that bad." Toghether they sat in silence and watched some junk while thinking about the things that happened. With Steve, without Steve and with just the three of them.

It wasn't the last time that Danny had the feeling that Steve was at his side but he never lost control like that again. He spoke with Steve but he wasn't feeling insane. He had Grace and the rest of his Ohana. Together they went on. Day by day. And now he was standing here. At Gracies graduation. Next week she was going to the Navy and Danny could truly say that he was proud of the woman he had raised. He laid his arm around the beaming Grace. They went to the graveyard and stood in front of Steves grave. ,,Hey superSEAL. You can be proud of your niece. She graduated as on of the best students. And she is going to the Navy. I blame you for the insanity. You planted that in her beautiful head. But I am very thankful for everything you have done for us. See ya soon."


End file.
